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Fossil ME3219 Bronson Automatic Brown Leather Strap Watch - W10289
Ref. ME3219
Sits in Fossil’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Fossil watches we list, which start at £89.
Price range £89 to £399 across 106 Fossil watches in stock.The Bronson is Fossil's attempt at accessible mechanical watchmaking with a visual payoff — strip the dial back to its skeleton, and the movement beneath becomes the design. Here that means a black satin cut-away face revealing the gear train from the front, with an exhibition caseback so the same view is available from the other side: the watch makes its working parts the point in both directions. At 44mm in black PVD, it wears with some presence, and the 100-gram weight on the wrist is noticeable without being uncomfortable. The brown LiteHide leather strap softens what would otherwise be an entirely industrial look and is cut to 22mm — wide enough that swapping it for something else is straightforward, and Fossil's own range offers plenty of options at that width. The Calibre 302, Japanese-sourced and self-winding, keeps everything running without a battery, wound by ordinary wear.
- Reference
- ME3219
- Brand
- Fossil
- Case size
- 44mm
- Case thickness
- 13mm
- Lug width
- 22mm
- Case material
- Black PVD
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Mineral
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 302
- Functions
- Skeleton dial
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Brown
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- F.Hinds
Learn more about Fossil
Tom Kartsotis founded Fossil in Texas in 1984 after noticing that fashion watches manufactured in Hong Kong could be produced far more cheaply than the market assumed. The name came from his brother's nickname.
The company's insight was presentation. Fossil watches were designed with a deliberately retro American aesthetic and sold in collectable tin boxes, which made an inexpensive quartz watch feel like an object worth keeping. It worked at scale, and Fossil became one of the largest watch companies in the world by unit volume.
The business then grew primarily by acquisition and licensing. Fossil owns Zodiac, Misfit, and the leather goods brand Skagen, and manufactures watches under licence for a long list of fashion houses — Michael Kors, Armani Exchange, Diesel, Kate Spade, and others. For much of the 2010s Fossil produced a substantial share of all branded fashion watches sold globally.
It was also an early and significant player in smartwatches, launching Android Wear devices from 2015 and becoming the largest maker of Google-powered watches, before that market consolidated around Apple, Samsung, and Google itself.
Fossil remains a public company headquartered in Richardson, Texas, and continues to produce its own mechanical and automatic lines alongside the quartz and connected ranges.
- 1984
- Tom Kartsotis founds Fossil in Texas.
- 1990
- The tin-box packaging becomes a signature.
- 2001
- Acquires Zodiac.
- 2015
- Launches its first Android Wear smartwatches.
Also in 6 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (3,082), Automatic Watches (1,403), Leather Strap Watches (986), Watches 44mm and Over (967), Automatic Watches Under £500 (322) and Skeleton Watches (240).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- One of Fossil's more premium watches
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- 44mm sits at the larger end
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | ME3219 | 47569/LB | I13104 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £259 | £250 | £249 |
| Case size | 44mm | 43.8mm | 45mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| This watch | Closely matched | Closely matched |
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Will the glass scratch?
It can, over time. Mineral glass handles daily wear but will pick up fine scratches that sapphire would not.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
What size strap does it take?
22mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
F.Hinds is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £259. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are F.Hinds?
F.Hinds has been run by the same family since 1856 and is now in its fifth generation, with more than 115 shops across England and Wales. They are a member of the Responsible Jewellery Council and an Authorised Diamond Dealer.
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